Written - January 1996. (Revised 1996-1997)
WINNER - ICI/STC YOUNG PLAYWRIGHT OF THE YEAR 1996 (3rd place)
Unproduced.
Workshopped at Parnassus' Den at Cafe Basilica, Chippendale NSW - moved reading broadcast on 2RES FM.
Workshopped at The International Festival of Young Playwrights (INTERPLAY), Townsville QLD July 1997.
ABOUT `DON'T CALL ME SONNY BOY'
The character of Violet came to me shortly before my seventeenth birthday - `A boy named Violet' - vulnerable, purple and uneasily walking the line between masculine and feminine. He popped up first in a play I haven't included, NO ASYLUM (1995), which I wrote mostly to prove to myself I could still write a play (it is in retrospect, very Tennessee Williams, a la Suddenly Last Summer). It was very early in 1996 that I was told of a play about domestic violence to be produced by Roundabout, for Waverly AM I YOUR DREAM?, my first `issues' play (this angle was minimised greatly in subsequent drafts). I produced a script in a couple of weeks, which the director rejected. (An appaling and so called `group devised' - or, in the tradition of misguided thespians, `director devised' - piece replaced it. I'm not a great fan of wholly group devised pieces, for the simple reason that there is no such thing, and also the fact that they tend to lack any form or structure which compel the audience to keep watching - they are simply there, and then, usually too long later, not there). I still had faith in it and knew the quality of the script was not the reason it was rejected. So I included it in a slew of plays sent to the 1996 ICI/STC award - SONNY BOY , NO ASYLUM, THEY SOLD THEIR SOULS TO SANTA, RULE 7,a rather contrived play about the social injustice of boys being made to get their hair cut which never quite worked and which I attempted unsuccessfully to adapt for radio), a new draft of McHAPPINESS, and WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE (which was really only a scene, spontaneously written and included as an afterthought, but ended up being Highly Commended !) I was still quite insecure about my writing at the time and used the theory of `quantity over quality'. To my surprise, SONNY BOY took out third place. Who can help but think `HA ha!' to aforementioned director?
It remains the most reworked of my plays (I'm still not wholly satisfied with it) but I deliberately set it aside as a `refinable' play in a way that something like AM I YOUR DREAM? could not be. After it won the award and as part my prize I recieved an ANPC assessment of it, I deemed it worthy of an extensive rewrite, almost doubling it in length and making it more complex and less issues-based, which I liked far better. I still hate the idea that to be legitimate, a `teenage' play must be exploring AM I YOUR DREAM? was an abject rebellion against. Many of the more lyrical qualities, such as the speeches about fruit and trees, were also added at this time. Some time later I also produced a `performance script' which included the dream sequence. The script became the one I took with me to World Interplay '97. While Interplay was on the whole an overwhelmingly positive and inspiring experience (kind of like playwright's summer camp) and the two dramaturgs who worked on it with me liked it, the special group conference was absolute hell. The group and leader seemed to miss the point by a distressingly large mark. They tore the play to pieces. They harped on in tangents from things I didn't find important in the first place (the `back story' for example - I find an ambiguous back story far more compelling to the audience. Who needs all the pieces ? It's boring). It was a harrowing experience, but it taught me two things - I cared for SONNY BOY more than I thought, and ultimately, a play should not be looked on as a text by a playwright, but by an audience in performance. It is all too easy to look too far under the surface and create a play that is a complex, well-constructed mess rather than something that the audience is actually going to enjoy. I firmly believe that if the audience is not entertained, they will take nothing from it.
Despite all this, another draft was produced on the basis of the suggestions. The two main differences were an extension of Irene and Ron's stories, and an extension of the dream-like factor, which many picked up on at Interplay as one of their favourite aspects. There were other aspects I thought of pursuing - for example, a scene in which Amber and Ron meet without any knowledge of who the other person is (perhaps mirroring the first scene) and the revelation that the dream sequences are not Violet's but Amber's. It was suggested at Interplay that I extend the role of Amber's family, fleshing them out and showing that it wasn't a perfect paradise, but I quickly realised that this, along with many of their suggestions, were extremely misguided - the Lees exist to be slightly surreal paradigms (as the dream sequence I added indicates - which in the end was more a rebelling against the suggestions than a complying). Plus, the play would be ruined if extended too much, as this would do. A moved reading at Parnassus' Den (a Sydney writer's workshop that I have found extremely interesting and beneficial) evoked a widely different response. The audience - a mix of other playwrights, actors, assorted thespians and interested onlookers - was almost universally positive. The only problem they found was the lack of a scene which the audience sees Ron have his comeupance, which is a valid point. The draft with this scene - the `final' draft - is the one you see here.
An excerpt of the Parnassus' Den moved reading (the first scene) was recorded on 22nd August 1997, and was broadcast on 2RES FM, along with an interview about my career, SONNY BOY and HONEY BUNNY. Despite many attempts (such as the idea of it being the debut production of Fluffy Bunnies), it remains unproduced.
by Camille Scaysbrook
- With doubling : 4 actors , (two female, two male) to play 7 parts:
- An introspective teenage boy who is painfully aware of his own physical and emotional inability to cope with his stepfather Ron's abuse of his himself and his mother.
- A strong, self assured girl whose qualities and stable family life Violet is both in awe of and jealous of.
- A woman who is fairly ill educated and sees Ron as a kind of saviour, and therefore will always have an excuse for his violent behaviour towards her.
- A deceptively quiet, well kempt man who knows how to manipulate people to his advantage.
- A genuine, pleasant man who has obviously worked hard to achieve success.
- Also extremely genial and pleasant, but clearly also an equal to Mr Lee.
- A lecherous drunk.
DOUBLING can be done in the following way :
Violet
Amber
Mum/ Mrs Lee
Ron/ Man/ Mr Lee.
Sydney, the present day. Individual settings will be detailed as they come up, but two basic sets are required - a loungeroom (which can be used for both Amber and Violet's houses, with some small changes) with an area to denote `outdoors', and an ambiguous space to represent everywhere else.
Scene 1 - Before the lights come up, the sound of the New Year countdown to midnight is heard. The lights come up to reveal a bus stop bench. On this sits two people - a boy, pale and fragile-looking and wearing a large, thick coat, trying to be unobtrusive, and a drunken man getting rid of the last few cans in his slab. A third person, a girl, quite well dressed but very tired, walks back and forth as she talks on a mobile phone. It is clear that all of them would rather be at home in bed than waiting on taxis.
AMBER - ... Yeah Mum. No, I'm okay. Yes ... I rang them up about half an hour ago ... No. Really, it's okay. Don't worry about doing that ... yes ... yeah, I'll call you if it doesn't come ... yes. There's a few other people around. No. Oh, come on Mum. Don't be ridiculous. I'll be fine ... Yes ... all right, see you then. Bye.
(She puts the phone back in her bag, looking not quite as confident as she has just said. Violet notices this and looks almost on the verge of talking to her, but thinks better of it. The man finishes his last beer and lurches over to her.)
MAN - So ... happy New Year, eh ?
AMBER - (Trying vainly to ignore him) Uh huh.
MAN - Ohh ... silent girl. Silent type, hey ? ... (singing) `I'm too sexy for my ... Paul' . I'm Paul, pleased to meet ya.
AMBER - Hi Paul.
PAUL - You too sexy for me ? (He moves over to Violet) She thinks she's too sexy for me. (Violet nods, keeping his eyes lowered) Are you too sexy for him ? (pointing to Violet. Amber stays silent) I said ...
AMBER - Yes, I heard you.
PAUL - Oh. I'll take that as a yes, then. You don't want a little wussy boy like him, love. You need a man. (to Violet) Are you a man? (Violet keeps his eyes down and mutters something unintelligible. The man ignores him anyway) Listen ... I don't think you're too sexy for me ... (he begins to put his arm around her. Violet looks up but is paralysed with fear, unable to do anything)
AMBER - (calmly) Oh, I think I might be.
PAUL - I don't think you are. C'mon. You want me to prove it to you ? (He slips his arm around Amber and pulls her closer to him)
VIOLET -Um ... um ... I don't think ... (Paul begins to kiss Amber's neck. Violet hovers behind, still not doing anything. He tries to pry Paul's hands away but Paul half pushes, half punches him away with a free hand, knocking him to the ground. Amber see's her chance, leaps up with a yell, knees Paul in the family jewels, punches him in the eye and shoves him to the ground. As he lies prostate, the sound of the taxi pulling up is heard from offstage. Violet is amazed.)
AMBER - Here. I think he can have this cab. Help me lift him up.
(They begin to, but in a sudden spurt of energy he gets up himself. Violet jumps back, fearing he may try something. But Amber calmly leads him offstage to the cab)
MAN - You frigid BITCH ! (he rants and raves until Amber returns)
VIOLET - Geez ... How'd you do that ?
AMBER - You just have to show them you're not subservient and you're not going to stand for that kind of behaviour. I used to do a self defence course.
VIOLET - God ... (he remains silent for a while. She is shaken, but he more so)
AMBER - Well ... we're going to be waiting a while for another cab. D'you want to share one ?
VIOLET - Can you do that ?
AMBER - Yeah. You just have to pretend that you and I aren't strangers. Where do you live ?
VIOLET - Pott's Point.
AMBER - Really ? That's perfect ! I live at Darling Point ! Oh ... he didn't hurt you when he punched you, did he ? (she reaches out to touch the side of his face but he flinches) It's all right, I'm not going to hurt you.
VIOLET - Sorry ...
AMBER - No, it's all right, don't apologise.
VIOLET - No, I mean ... sorry for not helping you.
AMBER - Oh, that's okay. These things happen so fast it's hard to even react, isn't it ?
VIOLET - No, really. My Dad ... stepdad ... is always hassling me and calling me a girl and all that.
AMBER - Well I think that's a really rotten attitude.
VIOLET - Yeah, well ... I reckon I agree with him.
AMBER - Oh, come on. Talk about sexist stereotyping. If you try and be something you're not you'll never like yourself.
VIOLET - Yeah ... whatever.
AMBER - God ... you're so down on yourself ! Do you know what? I just dumped my boyfriend because he was a big macho idiot. Just tonight. He was trying to fight this Swedish backpacker down at the Rocks - totally drunk, of course - it just made me feel sick. Sick in the stomach. So that was it. No way. I can't stand physical violence.
VIOLET - Yeah ... me neither. It's harder if you're a guy though.
AMBER - Yeah, that's probably true. (a silence) I'm Amber, by the way. And you are ...
VIOLET - Um ... well, this is probably going to sound weird but ... well, my name's Hugh but I've got this nickname ... people usually call me Violet.
AMBER - Yeah ? You know, it actually suits you much better than Hugh does. You're definitely not a Hugh. Why Violet ?
VIOLET - Oh, um ... see, my eyes are kind of purply - coloured. (Amber looks at them. Violet is partly uncomfortable but resists the temptation to look away) I've got these purple circles under my eyes too, and nothing'll make them go away. I dunno ... my Dad used to call me Violets when I was a kid, and it sort of stuck.
AMBER - I like it. Seriously, I do. It really does suit you.
VIOLET - (a little defensively) Why .... do you think I'm an old lady ?
AMBER - No. Not at all. It just does, that's all. Violets are sweet and they hide in there in the shade so you can hardly ever find them. (Violet is not quite sure how to take this so changes the subject)
VIOLET - Having a good New Year ?
AMBER - Well, so far. Just moved into a new house. Just dumped my horrible boyfriend. Yeah, it looks pretty good. How about you?
VIOLET - God. Don't ask.
AMBER - Sorry.
VIOLET - No, I'm sorry.
AMBER - Do you ever stop apologising?
(There is a brief silence)
VIOLET - Aren't you cold ?
AMBER - Yeah ... a bit.
VIOLET - Here you go. (Without waiting for a response he takes off his heavy, large coat and puts it around her shoulders. He looks markedly skinnier and more vulnerable without it.)
AMBER - Thanks ! You sure you'll be all right ?
VIOLET - Yeah, I'm fine.
AMBER - God, I'm so tired !
VIOLET - Yeah, me too.
AMBER - Do you mind if I borrow your shoulder ?
VIOLET - Huh ? Oh. Oh , yeah, go ahead. (She lays her head on his shoulder and they sit in silence for a moment or two. Violet uneasily shifts his arm so as not to disturb and/or be too forward towards her) D'you know what I promised myself tonight ? I mean, this is going to sound stupid as hell, but I just wanted to meet a really nice girl down on Circular Quay or something ... like, so I could prove to my stepdad and my Mum that I'm not a wimp.
AMBER - What, rather than coming back with bruises after a fight?
VIOLET - Yeah ... that's probably it ... well, he hates my guts so it probably wouldn't make that much difference.
AMBER - Who would have thought you'd have ended up with both ?
(She leans up and kisses him. He is caught in a deadlock of amazement, pleasure, and having no idea what to do next. The sound of the taxi is heard from offstage.)
AMBER - Come on. We'd better not miss that taxi. (He nervously takes her hand. They walk off towards the taxi. Blackout)
Scene 2 - Violet arrives home. His house bears the scars of recent New Year's celebrations, but it is clear that even in normal times it's not much different to this. Everything is makeshift, none of the furniture matches, and rubbish is stacked in various piles around the room. Offstage Right is Violet's bedroom. His mother is asleep on the couch and he tiptoes past her, trying not to wake her up. He doesn't succeed. She gets up and reveals a large bruise on the side of her face. She has obviously had a long night and is irritable.
IRENE - Well, you took your time.
VIOLET - I'm sorry, OK. The taxi took a long time to come.
IRENE - Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to your father.
VIOLET - I would but he's dead.
IRENE - Violet, I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you. You never seem to realise how lucky we are having Ron to ...
VIOLET - This is a recording : `Oh, I do. Believe me I do.'
IRENE - Listen ? Do you want a roof over your smart - arsed head or would you rather go down to the Cross and become a junkie?
VIOLET - Bloody hell, you sound exactly like Ron!
RON - (from offstage) Is that Violet ?
IRENE - (calling) Yes, he's home ! Look at this. This place is a pigsty. Go and get me a glass of wine, would you ? (Violet silently complies.)
VIOLET - Um ... Mum ?
IRENE - What ?
VIOLET - I ... um, met this really nice girl tonight. Like, we were stuck waiting for the taxi together. Her name's Amber, she lives over in Darling Point. I'm gonna go out with her sometime, probably tomorrow....
IRENE - Look, Violet, I have a pounding headache. Could you please stop talking ? (he does so without protest, but obviously a little let down.)How did you get that bruise on your ... (Ron enters and kisses Irene before she can finish.)
RON - Whoahoh! Someone's copped a shiner! Will you look at that, Irene ?
(He manhandles Violet into the light to see his bruise)
IRENE - I saw it.
RON - Wouldn't have thought sonny boy'd have it in him ? What did you do? Walk a bit too close to your boyfriend down Oxford Street ?
(He laughs, not maliciously, but honestly believing that he has just made a funny comment. He takes the desk lamp from the nearby coffee table and shines it in Violet's face)
VIOLET - No.
RON - Oh, come on.
VIOLET - No ! You wanna know where I got it ? I stopped some girl getting raped, practically. I punched him and he punched me back.
RON - Oh, you did, did you ? (He laughs heartily) Remember to leave the bike pants at the Mardi Gras next time, eh sonny ? (Violet quickly realises there is little use in protesting. He pushes the light away from him angrily) OHhhh. Okay then ! You're on. C'mon. Take a stab at me. Pretend I'm that bloke you decked today. Go for it. When I was your age my Dad was taking me to the club to fight blokes twice my age. Come on! (He picks up the lamp at shines it around like a spotlight, laughing. Violet, fuming, attempts to punch him, but misses.)
IRENE - Now, that's enough, Ron.
RON - SHUT UP ! I wanna see sonny boy's right hook! (Violet thumps into his chest, but to no avail. Ron punches him on the other side of the head to where his black eye is. Violet eventually swings around, knocking the light out of Ron's hand and a pile of rubbish in the process. Ron falls. A dangerous silence. Violet looks more scared than happy that he is the default winner) You little BASTARD !
IRENE - Ron ...
RON - SHUT the hell up ! Go to bed you little bastard. Go ! GET OUT OF HERE ! (Violet does so, going to his bedroom, which soon after goes into a blackout.)
IRENE - Now, come on. It was just a game.
RON - Did I ask you to comment ? Huh ?
IRENE - No .... I'm sorry. Listen, let's just go to bed, OK? We've had a long night.
RON - I think I can run my own life, Irene.
IRENE - Okay, okay. Point taken.
RON - Good. (He takes her in his arms) See, Irene? You can be a good woman when you put your mind to it.
IRENE - Okay. (Ron kisses her)
RON - Remember ?
IRENE - Yes. That night at the races.
RON - Remember what I said ?
IRENE - `Geez love - a minute ago I thought I was down on my luck !'
RON - I still mean it. Remember the name of that horse.
IRENE - Yes. Winner Takes All.
RON - I did, didn't I?
IRENE - Thanks honey. Thanks a lot. (They hug)
RON - Don't wake me up till ten tomorrow. I'm looking forward to a good sleep in.
IRENE - No problem. I love you, honey.
RON - Yeah, I love you too. (They walk, arm in arm, to bed.)
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